Smart skin technology has been developed by Japanese researchers at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Engineering. The ultra-thin and highly elastic surface is modeled to blend in with the human body. Able to exhibit simple graphics and characters with a 16 x 24 matrix of micro LED lights, the smart skin is a "minimally invasive medical system" that is designed "to keep doctors connected with their senior patients" through smartphone and computer user interface.
The smart skin technology includes a wireless biomedical sensor that is sensitive to touch, pressure and temperature. The collected data is accessible to physicians, who in turn can communicate with patients, using simple-to-understand feedback icons. In addition, the medical device is irritation-free as it is composed of a breathable matrix of nanomesh electrode sensors and a gas-permeable membrane.
Photo Credits: Design Milk
Health-Monitoring Smart Skins
This E-Skin by the University of Tokyo Connects Patients and Doctors
Trend Themes
1. Smart Skin Medical Devices - Opportunity for developing more minimally invasive medical devices for remote patient monitoring.
2. Wireless Biomedical Sensors - Opportunity for creating better wireless biomedical sensors to track patient health data.
3. Simple User Interfaces - Opportunity for developing simple-to-understand feedback icons for patients to interpret remote medical data.
Industry Implications
1. Medical Device Manufacturing - Opportunity for medical device manufacturers to leverage wireless biomedical sensing technologies in developing remote health monitoring devices.
2. Electronics Manufacturing - Opportunity for electronics manufacturers to build new types of medical smart skin devices.
3. Healthcare IT Solutions - Opportunity for healthcare IT companies to develop new remote patient monitoring technologies that incorporate simple user interfaces.